Refining and Eliminating Wrinkles and Creases on Vertical Baggers

Varying thicknesses of film at the end seal can cause sealing problems, especially at the transition points of multiple film layers created by the fin or lap seal, gussets, wrinkles, creases, and at the corners. Applications of pressure and heat must be great enough to cause the sealant layer to flow into and seal off these voids. However, excess pressure can easily crush or split the end seal, while overheating distorts the seal and can cause poor hot tack, where the film springs back open, or “moons,” before the seal can set.

The operating window for creating quality seals can be elusive, resulting in packages that leak, are distorted, and have little appeal to consumers.

An important step in troubleshooting these issues is to eliminate unintended wrinkles and creases. This post, the second in a four-part series, will examine this process on vertical baggers; Part 1 covered these issues on horizontal flow wrappers.

Any impediment that disturbs the even flow of film can distort packages and create leakers; a combination of factors is often to blame. To find the causes of these problems and fix them we recommend a comprehensive analysis of design, condition, and adjustment, beginning with the film roll and following along sequentially as the film is unwound, formed, filled, and sealed.

Film Contact with the Forming Collar

The wing of the forming collar should completely and evenly support the film as the flat web is formed into a tube. Too much, too little, or uneven tension can cause wrinkles and creases.

Even experienced users of forming sets can, over time, become conditioned to accept the hidden costs and preventable constraints of their packaging equipment. As with all waste, however, careful diagnosis of the root causes will lead to implementation of effective solutions.

One such root cause is forming tube misalignment. This can occur if the forming set has been accidentally mishandled and damaged or if the forming set has not been properly designed and fabricated in the first place.Read more